Lex

"Of course it's true!" Tommy's answer was firm and unwavering. He met Lex's doubtful yet eager gaze with honesty. "I swear in the name of my deceased father! Lord Karl of Carnford always keeps his word! This isn't just about getting us to risk our lives; it's his promise and respect to every warrior willing to shed blood for him and for Carnford!"

Seeing that Lex was already somewhat dizzy from the sheer volume of information, he continued to increase his bets, painting a picture of a relatively stable and secure future, which held a fatal attraction for Lex, who had lived in uncertainty and fear for years.

"Furthermore, in Carnford, if you are injured during training or combat, you will be treated by a skilled doctor using the best medicine."

"If, unfortunately... you become disabled and can no longer go to the battlefield, Lord Karl will not abandon you. He will arrange work for you within your capabilities or provide you with a pension so that you will have someone to rely on for the rest of your life."

Even in the worst-case scenario, if you tragically lose your life, your family will receive a generous compensation payment, enough for them to live comfortably. Your blood will never have been shed in vain!

Tommy's voice was deep and powerful, each word striking Lex's heart. "Lex, think about it, why were we, a few thousand men, able to withstand the frenzied attack of Sauron's hundred thousand-strong army?"

"It's because everyone, from top to bottom, understands that we're not fighting for some lord, but for ourselves, our families, and the homes we have left behind! Lord Karl gave us dignity, hope, and the guarantee to survive and, moreover, to live better! That's why everyone is willing to fight to the death and that's why we can unleash such tremendous power!"

Lex was completely stunned by this series of conditions that far exceeded his expectations. He stood there dumbfounded, clutching the piece of jerky tightly in his hand, as if it were a token to another world.

He wasn't afraid of death, he really wasn't.

As a hunter, he constantly battles wild beasts in the mountains and forests and struggles against the harsh natural environment. In winter, he braves the danger of heavy snow blocking the mountains to go into the mountains to find prey. A timid person simply cannot do this job.

Death was not frightening to him.

What he truly feared was ending up like his father, completely losing his ability to work after an accidental leg break, becoming a burden on his family, and slowly wasting his life in poverty and illness without any dignity.

His fear was that one day he would die in the deep mountains and forests, his body devoured by wild animals, disappearing without a trace like a stray dog, leaving his parents without anyone to care for them and a miserable old age.

What he feared was his own death, which was as insignificant as a feather and utterly worthless.

Tommy's description of Carnford —a place where the wounded are treated, the disabled are cared for, and the dead are compensated; a place where soldiers not only have enough to eat and wear but also receive generous pay—was practically like a legendary paradise.

This is a world apart from his current precarious and hopeless life!

A strong, irrepressible longing burned in his heart like wildfire.

However, the constraints of reality immediately tightened around his heart.

The excitement on his face dimmed slightly, replaced by a deep worry.

He hesitated for a moment, his voice trembling with a hint of pleading, before asking the most crucial question, the one that worried him the most. "Tommy... I... I believe you! But... but my father... he's lame, he can't do heavy work, he's practically half a cripple."

"My mother... she's always been in poor health, coughing constantly... they... they're getting old and need constant care... and I have two younger brothers, they're still so young. If I'm gone, how... how will they survive?"

His voice was filled with helplessness and pain; it was almost an insurmountable obstacle for him.

Tommy had anticipated this question, and a knowing yet confident smile spread across his face. He patted Lex on the shoulder firmly and said with certainty, "Don't worry, Lex, Lord Karl has already thought of this!"

"Carnford welcomes everyone willing to go and develop! Not just soldiers, but their families too! Once you pass the tests and officially join the army, your parents can come with you to Carnford!"

Seeing the incredulous gleam in Lex's eyes, Tommy explained in detail, "Newcomers to Carnford without land will be provided with basic rations by the Lord's Residence to ensure they don't go hungry."

"Then, land will soon be allocated to you according to your family size! In your case, you'll get at least three or four acres of good land! And your rations will continue until next autumn, when the land you've cultivated has yielded a harvest!"

"Three or four acres? And they're still giving us rations until next fall?!" Lex felt his heart was about to jump out of his throat, and his breathing became incredibly rapid.

Three or four acres of fertile land! What did this mean for the Lex family, who had been sharecroppers for generations and had never owned an inch of land?

This meant completely breaking free from dependence on Master John, it meant having a means of livelihood, it meant no longer having to worry about being evicted for not paying rent! This meant a complete and utter change!

He was so excited that his whole body was trembling, and his voice choked with emotion. "Really... really? My mom, dad, and brother... can all go? And... they'll even get land?"

"Absolutely true!" Tommy confirmed firmly.

"Lex, think about this carefully. I admit you're a great hunter, but can you guarantee you'll catch enough game to feed your family every day? What will you do when the mountains are snowed in winter?"

"Going into the mountains at great personal risk, you might return empty-handed for days, or even meet with misfortune like your uncle. What will your elderly parents eat and drink then? How will they survive this long, cold winter?"

He pointed to the distant, snow-covered, desolate and barren mountains, then to Lex's tattered coat that offered no warmth, his tone heavy and realistic:

"In Jialan Village, during winters like this, your whole family can only rely on the little bit of dried meat you dried earlier and your meager food reserves, while you have to anxiously calculate how you will survive until spring."

His voice regained its hope and strength. "But in Carnford, even in the coldest winter, there is hot Black Bread and thick broth in the barracks every day!"

"Your family has been allocated land, and the Lord's Residence will help them settle down. Although it will be tough at first, at least they will have shelter from the wind and rain, food to fill their stomachs, and hope! They will no longer suffer from hunger and cold, and they no longer have to worry about you freezing or starving to death in this dilapidated house!"

Tommy's final words, like a final hammer blow, shattered all of Lex's hesitation and wishful thinking, "Staying here, you see no hope. Your aunt and uncle's later years will only become more and more difficult."

"Although coming with me to Carnford will initially mean leaving your home and facing the unknown, there you'll find real land, a stable income, and security for the future! That's where your parents can enjoy their retirement and where you can truly live a decent life!"

"Lex, will you stay here and let these endless days drag you down, or will you muster the courage to fight for a different future with me? The choice is yours!"

Lex fell silent. He looked down at his hands, calloused and chapped from years of wielding a bow and sword, then looked up at Tommy's eyes, which were full of sincerity, confidence, and hope. Finally, he looked around at the land where he was born and raised, a land that had given him only poverty, hardship, and despair.

His father lay on the bed groaning in pain, his mother sighed helplessly by the stove, the taste of hunger and cold in the winter, the fierce faces of Master John when they were demanding rent... Scenes flashed through his mind.

Finally, he abruptly raised his head, the last trace of confusion and hesitation in his eyes replaced by a resolute determination, as if he had already decided to burn his bridges.

He nodded vigorously, his voice trembling with emotion, yet unusually firm. "Tommy! I... I'll go with you! I'll go to Carnford! For my parents, and for myself! I never want to live this endless life again!"

Tommy looked at the rekindled, determined light in Lex's eyes, like a hunter locking onto its prey, and knew that he had made the most important decision of his life.

He smiled with satisfaction and patted Lex on the shoulder again, "Good brother! I knew you hadn't changed, you're still the same Lex with guts!"

"There's no time to lose. Go home quickly and quietly discuss it with your uncle and aunt. Pack what needs to be packed, but keep it a secret and don't let a word out! I need to go find Finn and see what he thinks. Wait for my news, and we'll set off as soon as possible!"

"Yes!" Lex nodded heavily, carefully wrapping up the remaining jerky in his hand and tucking it into the closest place to his body, as if he were holding an invaluable hope.

He turned around, his steps no longer heavy as before, but with an unprecedented lightness and determination, and strode quickly toward his low, dilapidated thatched hut.